1

UTAR NEW VILLAGE COMMUNITY PROJECT

REPORT

NAME OF THE VILLAGE;

BAGAN SUNGAI TIANG

PERAK

Project carried out by

Student Name

ID Number

Course

Year /

Semester

1. Seah Tong Zhi 1103417 AC Y3S2

2. Chong Shih Sheu 1104412 AC Y3S2

DATE OF COMPLETION

AUGUST 2015

2

History

Bagan Sungai Tiang New Village is a village which is located in Perak. It is one of

the 8 biggest fishing villages in Hilir Perak and has a history of over 100 years. The

nearest town is Sungai Sumun which is a 10-minute drive to this village. A bigger

town nearby is Teluk Intan which is a 45-minute drive away.

This village was established at the end of the 19th

century. The first generation of

settlers migrated from China. When the village was first established, there was no

road access and no electricity or piped water supply. Villagers collected rain water

and operated their own power generators. Access to the village was by boat. This is in

sharp contrast to the current scenario where there is piped water, electricity supply

and road access.

Currently, the headman of the village is Mr. Oong Ahr Lim who is 58 years old. He

manages the problems of the village together with a few senior villagers. The new

village committee serve as a medium to coordinate with government to overcome the

problems and challenges faced by the villagers.

Especially in the past decade, many youths from Bagan Sungai Tiang have out

migrated to the cities in search of better employment opportunities. These youths

return to the village during holidays and festivals. This outmigration trend is because

of the decline in the local fishing industry and encouragement from elders who do not

see a bright future in fishing for their children.

3

Group photo with Mr. Oong Ahr Lim

4

Economic Activities

The major source of income in Bagan Sungai Tiang is fishing and its related products.

This village is in fact well known for its “belacan”. “Belacan” is kind of fermented

prawn paste which is dried in the sun before it is compacted and packed for sale.

About 50% of this village’s “belacan” is exported to Thailand. Sungai Tiang is one of

the first villages to catch the small shrimps with a net which has fine weave small

enough to trap the tiny prawns. The process of making “belacan” dictates that the tiny

shrimps are salted and partially dried in the sun. In the early days, some villagers

reared pigs and poultry but this dwindled over the years as more and more villagers

switched to the “belacan” business.

Besides catching the small shrimps for “belacan”, local fisherman also focus on

fishing for squids. The squids are either sold fresh through a local collection center or

processed into squid balls, a popular, ingredient for cooking.

In the year 2004, there was a Tsunami in Malaysia. Although the Tsunami did not

cause serious damage in Sungai Tiang, it nevertheless had a strong negative impact on

the fisherman’s income. This was because the Tsunami affected the fish’s natural

habitat.

Besides fishing, many villagers have also started oil palm smallholdings. Income from

harvesting the oil palms is a good supplement to the unstable nature of earnings from

fishing.

Another source of income in Sungai Tiang was birds’ nest farming which became

more widespread over the past decade. This used to provide substantial earnings for

some villagers. Unfortunately, supply has way outstripped demand in recent years and

birds’ nest farming has dwindled considerably.

Some villagers earn a living by running small businesses such as grocery shops,

restaurants and centers which collect and then distribute fresh local seafood.

5

Boats that villagers use to catch seafood

6

Machine that is used to process “belacan”

7

Social, Culture & Religious Practice

Our survey showed that 99% of villagers are Chinese and 1% of villagers are Indian.

All villagers are Taoists. 98% of Chinese villagers are from the Hokkien dialect group

while the remaining 2% are Teochew and Cantonese. The Hokkien dialect is widely

spoken in Sungai Tiang.

The majority of villagers follow cultural practices from Hokkien dialect group. One

of the major festival that is celebrated in the village is Chinese New Year. During

Chinese New Year, the youths who have out migrated to urban areas will return for

the celebration with their family. It is during such festivals that the quiet of the village

is gone and the village is crowded with people and motor vehicles.

Another major celebration is “Tian Gong Dan” the 9th

days of the Chinese New Year.

The Hokkiens worship “Tian Gong” or the god of heaven either at the temples or in

front of their own houses. You may see fireworks everywhere during that particular

day. Many youngsters remain in the village until the 9th

day of Chinese New Year to

celebrate the “Tian Gong Dan” before they go back to the cities for work.

Fishermen go out to the sea when conditions are favourable. In between their bouts at

sea, local fishermen spend their free time socializing at village coffee shops or at a

restaurant right by the sea. Children in Sungai Tiang are often seen playing at the

beach or cycling round the village – a rare sight in urban areas.

There are four temples in Sungai Tiang where villagers worship the temple deities and

pray for good health and safety. The temple are renovated and maintained by

donations from villagers. There are also 2 community halls in Sungai Tiang and this is

where most village festivals and celebrations are held.

8

The biggest temple in Sungai Tiang

A community hall in Bagan Sungai Tiang

9

PROBLEMS AND NEEDS OF PEOPLE

There are numerous problems faced by the residents of Bagan Sungai Tiang.

Although there are 2 Kindergartens and a primary school in this village, it does not

have a secondary school. As a result, secondary school students have to enrol at the

secondary schools in Selekoh or Rungkup. This is a great inconvenience for Sungai

Tiang’s students and their parents.

The kindergarten’s old building

New buildings in the of kindergarten

10

The fishermen suffered losses during the Tsunami in 2014 as many boats were

damaged. It seems that this natural disaster has also reduced their catch from the sea.

Besides, government regulations could also have a negative impact on the fishermen’s

future income. According to the Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister,

Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, the ban on trawler net fishing will be effective from

2016. The ban will first be imposed within Zone B, which is between eight and fifteen

nautical miles (approximately 14.8km and 28km) from the shore and this may be

extended further after discussions with fisherman association related agencies.

Meanwhile, according to the headman of the new village, Mr Oong Ah Lim, there is a

limited catch of seafood less than eight nautical miles from the coast due to the lack of

breeding ground. Nowadays, piracy is another challenge which fishermen have to deal

with. It seems that some fishermen were forced to reduce their working days because

they were afraid of the pirates.

Boats waiting to fill their fuel tank

11

There is no proper system for garbage disposal in this village. Normally, garbage is

burnt or thrown into the sea and this poses a threat to the environment and the

ecosystem.

There is a small government clinic nearby for villagers to seek treatment for minor

ailments. Unfortunately, a hospital is much further away. This is a problem for

villagers, especially when many of them are elderly.

The absence of sports venues such as basket ball courts, badminton courts and

recreation parks is a serious problem.

Wastes accumulating in the river

After so many years, the tarred roads are in dire need of maintenance and repair.

There is no bus service and no petrol station. Villagers have to buy fuel from third

parties who charge a price slightly higher than the market price.

The poor security and safety needs to be addressed urgently. Recently, there were

many robberies and burglaries in Bagan Sungai Tiang. Some villagers believe that

this is due to the increase in the number of foreign workers in the new village.

12

RECOMMENDATION

Different problems need different solutions. Government assistance is needed to

construct a secondary school in Sungai Tiang or, if the population is too small, to

improve public transport to secondary schools in nearby towns. In addition, there is a

need for easier access to hospitals in nearby towns.

The authorities should engage in a dialogue with villagers regarding their concerns

over policies which ban trawler net fishing, their need for assistance in repair of boats,

and their fear for safety because of pirates.

Government funds are needed to improve basic facilities and infrastructure such as

road maintenance, construction of sports facilities, and the setting up of a bus station.

There is clearly a need for garbage disposal services. In view of recent crime in this

village, the police force needs to be beefed up.

The aging population structure in Sungai Tiang needs to be looked into. Perhaps the

village leaders could work hand in hand with the authorities to introduce more

investment and more employment opportunities. One potential avenue for growth is

tourism.

13

Tourism value

During the interview session with the headman of the village, Mr Oong Ahr Lim, he

said that the village itself currently does not have tourism value. He claims those

tourists are more interested in the new village close by, Sungai Burung.

Nonetheless, Mr Oong Ahr Lim strongly recommended that the “belacan” industry

could attract tourist to Sungai Tiang New Village. The “belacan” sells like hot cakes.

When our survey team members wanted to buy it, we were told that the “belacan” was

sold out! The Sungai Tiang New Village villagers are friendly and they welcome

tourist to their village. This warm hospitality was evident when Mr Oong accepted our

interview request without any hesitation. Thus, the combination of warm hospitality

and interesting process of making “belacan” could attract tourists to this village.

Homestay programme could also attract tourists. The harmony and clam in the village

would definitely help visitor to rest and relax. The sea breeze and the sound of the

waves are a balm for worn out urbanites. While enjoying this peaceful environment,

tourists could also savour the fresh and reasonably priced seafood in Sungai Tiang.

However, before the homestay programmes can flourish, government assistance is

needed to train and educated villagers on running such business enterprises.

Furthermore, villagers could start boat rental business for tourists who wish to go

fishing. This could attract many anglers to the village.

Further tourism potential could be unlocked if villagers from Sungai Tiang worked

together with residents of nearby villagers to develop tour packages which covered

the attractions of neighbouring villages. These packages may include local food,

temples, scenery, factory visits, etc. This approach will not only benefit Sungai Tiang

but also other villages.

The village could also publicise its beaches where people can relax and enjoy local

seafood or BBQ by the sea. Camping facilities could be set up to attract tourist who

love the outdoors.

14

Fishermen unload their haul at Sungai Tiang

Shrimps are sun- dried for production of “belacan”

15

Dried shrimp

16

Entrepreneurship Opportunities

There are several shops and stalls in this village. These include grocery shops, coffee

shops, hardware shops, stalls which sell cooked food and drinks as well as stalls

which sell vegetables and meat. All in all, local entrepreneurs show a willingness to

work hard and to persist in whatever business they are in.

While there may be opportunities to expand the “belacan” business or the local

seafood restaurants, villagers could also explore other seafood products. The village

headman mentioned that there is no fish ball factory in Sungai Tiang. Herein lies an

example of new business opportunities related to the fishing industry which supports

the village economy.

Villagers could also consider investment in fish farming. This may provide a more

stable source of income than fishing which is highly dependent on weather conditions.

Another possible area for new business is the establishment of workshops which

repair boats. This new business would not only serve Sungai Tiang fishermen who

need to repair their boats but also benefit fishermen from nearby villages. Currently,

boat maintenance and repair in this area is handled by shipyards in Hutan Melintang.

DISCLAIMER:

Information contained in this report was compiled by the University’s students on voluntary basis.

Although every effort has been made to check the accuracy of the report, the University accepts no

responsibility whatsoever for any errors or omissions, if any, the University reserves the right to make

changes on the information at any time without prior notice.

Should there be any queries regarding contents of the report, please contact:

Department of Soft Skills Competency

Tel: 03-78582628 ext 8274, 8656, 8269 (Klang Valley Campus)

05-4688888 ext 2297/2299/2300 (Perak Campus)